Love and Enmity
by Frostie
Summary: The tale we never heard: what Sirius and James did after Hogwarts and before the fateful day when Voldemort attacked. Mostly focuses on Sirius's life and his relationship with one of my original characters.


AUTHOR'S NOTE (well, a few notes…): First off I want to warn you that this story is rather long (35 pages in my Word document). I was going to cut it up into separate chapters, but was just too lazy and couldn't find anywhere to split it up into chapters. Sorry about that if you're a chapter kind of person—let's just say it started out as a "short" story and ideas kept on coming and coming... Secondly, this is actually kind of a romance-type thingy—a genre I really haven't written in before—so please read with an open mind. Thirdly…don't let "romance" chase you off. It actually kind of connects everything in a way and isn't that cheesy (or so I hope). And fourth—I hope you enjoy the story!

_Love and Enmity_

"Lucius, think of who you're convicting here! Surely you cannot accuse Sirius of such an act!"

"Just because you've been the Potters' best friend all along, Dumbledore, doesn't mean you have to go and protect their best friend. Who else to betray them to the Dark Lord but Sirius Black?" Lucius Malfoy stood at his place at a long table with the new Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge at the head and Dumbledore directly to his right. He looked smug as most of the panel agreed with him.

"I would take your accusation seriously, Lucius, if it hadn't been on someone so clearly innocent of the crime."

"I saw him, Dumbledore, with my own eyes!" Lucius cried. "I was one of the witnesses who saw him blow up Peter Pettigrew right there, in front of all those people, all those Muggles! Are you accusing me of blasphemy, Dumbledore?" His cold, glassy gray eyes burrowed into Dumbledore's warm blue eyes looking over his half-moon spectacles at Malfoy. There was a murmur of agreement around the table.

"I am merely saying that there is no way Sirius Black could have caused all this. There must have been someone else infiltrating the secrets of James and Lily Potter."

"Be reasonable, Albus," the Minister of Magic professed. "Peter Pettigrew, explain his death for us if you would."

Dumbledore had to take some time to think. "Disappeared. Faked his own death."

"But what about the remains?"

"Yes, the finger! It was the largest part of him that we could find!"

The crowd began to murmur again. "You must not cast out that it is entirely impossible for him to have faked his own death," Dumbledore insisted.

"Explain the blood, Dumbledore! The finger, the remains! The fact that Pettigrew yelled to Black how he had betrayed the Potters! How do you explain Black's laughter as a reaction?" Malfoy cut in again.

"Here here!"

"Few know that Peter Pettigrew was an Animagus," Dumbledore tried to explain.

"Ha! An Animagus you say? Check the records at the Ministry! There have only been a select few _chosen_ to be Animagi in this century. I can assure you Peter Pettigrew is not one of them." Lucius Malfoy looked smug, as if he had finally defeated the ever-powerful Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore shook his head and said under his breath, "If only you knew…"

Sirius knew after they graduated from Hogwarts that Lily and James would marry—maybe not right away, but soon after. They had been meant for each other since the beginning of time—or so it seemed. He, on the other hand, didn't see how he could settle down. Scanning the crowd after his last day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he could probably spot a few potential flings, but nothing further than that. "Oi! Padfoot!" he heard from the distance. Sure enough, as he turned his handsome face towards the sound, James and Lily were walking towards him, hand in hand. "We're done, mate," James told him, grinning, hair on end like usual.

"I know." Sighing, Sirius turned his eyes to the enormous castle in front of them. "No more Dungbombs, no more Hogsmeade, no more Zonko's…no more adventures as the moon gets full…"

James smirked. "But at the same time no more Filch either."

"I'll miss the old git actually," Sirius said, dreamily. "Sure, he chased us all over creation, but it provided us with something to work for."

Lily rolled her eyes at them both. "Really, it's a miracle you both managed to get out of here on time."

"Hey, eight O.W.L.s isn't too shabby," James retorted.

"Although you could have gotten more if you hadn't been schmoozing around the school," Lily teased. She quickly regretted it as James reached in to tickle her on the side where she was most ticklish. She giggled hysterically. Sirius laughed along, but felt like an outsider. He excused himself and went off to mingle with someone else.

"Hey, Moony!" he yelled as he saw Remus' shorter and stockier form ahead of him. "Long time no see, eh?" He grinned at his other best friend.

"Yes, I suppose." Remus smiled weakly. Sirius understood—they had just returned from a trip to the Shrieking Shack two days ago and Remus was still a bit under the weather.

"Hey, cheer up!" Sirius punched him on the shoulder. "No more homework…or McGonagall, or Filch…"

"I rather liked Filch, actually," Remus said kindly. "He seemed like a nice old man."

"I can only count on you to say something like that, Moony," Sirius chortled as he made small talk with his friend. Pretty soon James and Lily came up, James' arm comfortably and casually resting around Lily's shoulders, as well as Peter and a few others.

"SIRIUS!" came a loud yelling as a figure pounded into him from the side, almost tipping him over. He stayed on balance, but found himself laughing uncontrollably as he saw who it was: Naida Breckenridge, a rather tomboyish girl from Gryffindor who he had gotten to know extremely well over the last seven years. Sirius had thought of her as a sister. She was still tickling him on the neck as the entire group looked at him like he was nuts. James and Lily looked on with polite confusion as Remus and Peter just started laughing. Sirius found his elbow resting on her shoulder like an armrest.

"Beautiful weather out, isn't it guys?" he asked them, showing no signs that he recognized Naida. Unfortunately she knew just where to tickle him on the back of his neck, so he broke down giggling again. They had always playfully flirted like this, but everyone knew it was nothing meant to be further than a playful friendship. Sirius looked down at her for the first time that day. Usually she had her hair up in a ponytail and wore extremely plain clothes ("Too much work otherwise," she would explain.), but today she had her gorgeous long auburn hair down and it caught the light just so that the sunlight made her look rather angelic. She was also wearing beautiful satin blue dress robes that caught her figure in all the right places. He couldn't help but stare.

"Don't look now, Black, but you're drooling," she said, grinning. She took her handkerchief and wiped the corner of his mouth so that he came back to life.

"Yeah, sorry about that…" Unfortunately Naida detached herself from his side. He had never felt that way before, especially towards her.

After there was a new round of chortling all around, Naida took her usual spot as life of the party. She looked over at the castle. "Can you _believe_ that seven years ago we barely even knew each other?" They continued their small talk as Naida did her usual flirting with everyone. For the first time in his life, Sirius felt jealous of everyone besides him on the receiving end of her flirtations. He quickly shook them off; she was like a sister to him! Still, he couldn't help but see Lily and James off to the side contentedly standing hip-to-hip. _No_, he told himself. She was headed off to the Ministry after graduation to work in the international wizardry department. He'd probably end up at some low-pay job somewhere in London. Sure, she knew how to have a good time setting off Dungbombs in the corridors, but unlike him, she had the smarts to go with it.

Soon they found themselves unwillingly on the Hogwarts Express for the last time. Sirius could definitely feel a dreary mood falling over his clan as they rode all the way home. Sure, they'd keep in touch and see each other again, but never again would he have his best friends in the same building at the same time all the time. Never again would they accompany Remus as he transformed at the full moon. And what he would miss most of all is never again would he be able to play pranks on Naida any old time he wanted. He turned his handsome face towards the window so no one would see the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes. He was seated comfortably next to Naida, and Peter next to her on the other side while across from Sirius sat James and Lily and Remus. They were quiet most of the way thus far, except for a half-hearted game of Exploding Snap as the witch with the food cart came through. Sirius focused on Naida's figure seated next to him. She appeared to be staring off into space and not focusing on anything else but the ceiling of their compartment. She stood rather tall at 5'9", but was still comfortably medium sized. Sirius liked the fact that she never was one to starve herself trying to be extremely thin. At breakfast she was usually the one who managed to down the most food out of their gang, but still she had a fantastic figure. Sirius could never figure out how that all worked out. When they both stood at full height he was a full five inches taller than her, something he greatly prided himself in, especially when trying to keep things out of her reach.

Sirius glanced around the rest of the compartment: James was talking quietly to Lily as she rested her head comfortably against his shoulder, Remus had captured Peter's attention in something about the Aurors in the Ministry of Magic, which left him and Naida as the only ones not engaged in a conversation. He didn't have to worry about that as he felt a gentle weight on his own shoulder. Naida had conveniently fallen asleep—and had fallen onto him. Sirius discreetly snuck his hand around her waist as he fell asleep as well, his head resting comfortably on Naida's.

"Should we wake them?" Remus.

"No, they're so _cute_ like that!" Lily.

"Wish I had a camera." James.

"But we're nearly there, we should probably wake them." Peter.

"Fine…" Lily sounded rather unwilling, but Sirius felt her prodding him and Naida from their comfortable slumber. Sirius was most unwilling as well. His arm had fallen asleep long ago but he didn't care; he would have stayed like that forever if he could.

"Wake up, sleepyheads," James chortled in an annoyingly energetic voice.

"Shuddup," Sirius replied sleepily, throwing whatever was closest to him at his best friend (which just happened to be the deck of Exploding Snap cards). He untangled himself from Naida who had also just woken up.

"We there yet?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sirius felt his heart flutter.

"Nearly."

"Then I should probably go and change," she said as she hopped out of the compartment with Muggle clothing under her arm.

Sirius watched her retreating back as she left. James and Lily were both looking at him, grinning like idiots. "What, do I look that disheveled?" he asked, running a hand through his hair so it was even messier than usual.

"It's finally happened!" Lily said excitedly.

"Wh—wh—what's happened?" Sirius asked, yawning deeply.

"You've finally realized how perfect you and Naida are for each other," James replied, as if he'd known all along. At this point Peter and Remus expressed interest in the conversation as well.

"What are you talking about? You know she's like a sister to me!" Sirius tried to deny his feelings. No, he _wasn't_ falling in love with Naida Breckenridge.

"If that isn't a dreamy look in your eyes I don't know what is," Remus replied, revealing a small smile himself. Peter just chuckled his high squeaky laugh.

"No, you guys aren't serious. She's a _sister_ to me, nothing more."

"Not from where I'm standing," Lily said, a goofy grin coming over her face as she folded her arms across her chest.

"You're sitting."

"Ha ha."

Naida came back at that moment, looking like the Naida that Sirius had known and loved for the past seven years. To his dismay she had changed into baggy jeans and a t-shirt, and had pulled her gorgeous hair back again. She jumped over Remus and Peter and back into the compartment where she settled herself next to Sirius again. "Miss me?" No one replied. "Oh come on, I know when you guys are talking about me behind my back!" she chuckled. "You boys have it written all over your faces." They looked back stupidly as Lily and Naida giggled together. "Female intuition, you know."

Soon the train began to slow and they were jerked back to the reality that they would start their new lives in mere minutes. Their lives away from Hogwarts, away from Hogsmeade, but most of all away from each other. Silence fell over the compartment again as they enjoyed their last minutes together as Hogwarts students. James looked out the window. "Yup. There it is. Platform 9 ¾." They all stood up silently as Remus and Peter took down their luggage from the overhead compartment and then James and Sirius took down theirs as well as Naida's and Lily's.

"Thanks," was all Naida said to Sirius as she led the way off the train when it came to a full stop. They all piled their luggage in a corner as James prodded Sirius in the side. _Talk to her_, he mouthed. Sirius was hesitant, but then grabbed her by the arm.

"Can I talk to you privately?" he asked.

"Of course." She led the way towards an abandoned alleyway. "What is it?"

"I'm really going to miss you," he spit out bluntly.

"I'm going to miss you too," she replied as she reached up to push a stray piece of his hair out of his face.

"No, I mean…I mean…Naida, I love you. Not just as a sister, but something…more." There. He had said it. He brought his eyes straight to the ground.

She reached out to pull his chin upwards again to meet her face. To his relief, she was smiling. "Finally!" she laughed. "I was starting to think you hadn't taken the hint!"

"What?"

"Sirius, I've had the biggest crush on you since fourth year! I was wondering when you'd make a move after all that flirting."

"Wh—what?" he asked dumbly.

"Why do you think I kept on flirting with you specifically?"

He was awestruck. She had liked him for nearly four years? "But what about all those others you flirted with?" He didn't mean to sound jealous, but it came out that way.

"Sirius, that's who I am, I love everybody. But I especially love you." She was grinning mischievously as her hands weaved her way around his waist and she reached up to kiss him lightly on the lips. It was the most delicate thing he had ever felt in his entire life. As they parted, she was grinning ear to ear and said, "Hey, how about we go out and celebrate with the rest of them, eh?"

"Yeah," he responded, smiling stupidly as he put his arm around her shoulders as her arm remained around his waist. As they turned the corner, Lily, James, Remus, and Peter all began to cheer.

"What did I tell you? What did I tell you?" Lily asked, practically dancing around the newly formed couple.

"Yeah, you were right, Prongs," Sirius told James as James pushed a hand through his hair another time to make the back stand up on end just a bit more.

"That's 'cause I'm always right, Padfoot!" They embraced like brothers and looked around for their families. Everyone else found theirs right away and they ran out to greet them, leaving James and Sirius standing amongst the massive pile of luggage. "Not here again?" James asked Sirius as he looked around for any sign of someone that resembled his mother.

"Nope. Not a big surprise, though. She's probably going off trying to assassinate the Minister of Magic right about now," Sirius said in disgust. He had learned long ago that he was a disgrace to his family, so he never really expected anyone even distantly related to him to be on Platform 9 ¾, waiting for him.

"Oh, that's fine, you can come home with us. You know you're welcome at my place anytime."

"I know. It won't be too different from last summer then, eh?" He tried to make light of the situation, something that always tended to utterly fail. James looked at his best friend with sympathy.

"Sorry, mate."

"It's no big deal. Not like I have a family to really be proud of anyway."

James put his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Come live with us this summer—or at least for a few weeks until you can get everything straightened out."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that," Sirius said, an angered look on his face. "If only I had a normal family."

"You're family to us," James replied as they grabbed their trunks, said a rather hurried goodbye to Remus and Peter (Lily and Naida stuck around a bit longer, but in the end they had to say goodbye quickly too). The last thing Sirius saw of Naida for over a year was when he followed the Potters out of the station and she followed her parents out in the other direction. They had both turned at the exact same moment, Sirius's hair falling lightly into his eyes. He smiled at her, since she had taken out her ponytail and let her hair fall loose again. With a slight wave, he disappeared through the barrier to the Muggle world.

Sirius—

I have the opportunity to study for a year in Africa, an internship to begin my stint at the Ministry. It is a wonderful chance not only for me to get a good name in at the Ministry of Magic, but also for me personally. I would be helping African wizards and witches in need and hopefully finding some prospects for allies to the Ministry. I completely understand if you just want to break off our relationship right now, since it may get to be rather difficult with such a long distance between us, but if you don't that's fine too. I'm afraid I won't be seeing you before I leave next week, since I just found out yesterday that I would be going. Please understand it's the opportunity of a lifetime for me.

Love you much,

Naida

Sirius read and reread the letter he had just received from Naida's barn owl. She would be gone for a year. He wouldn't see her at all. Folding the paper up and opening it again, his eyes glanced over the words. A year. He understood that this was the kind of stuff she had always wanted to do, but he couldn't help but be a little selfish in the fact that he wanted to keep her around, especially since he had finally let her know how he felt about her. Tears formed in his eyes as he sat on the bed in his room at the Potters'. He ran a hand through his hair, something he always tended to do when he got to be stressed or frustrated. Salem, her owl, was perched on the window ledge, waiting patiently for a reply letter. Sirius didn't know what to do. Thinking hard for a minute or two, he started writing.

Dear Naida…

In November Sirius moved out of the Potters' house and into London where he had bought his own apartment above the streets of Diagon Alley. He was earning his way by working at the Leaky Cauldron six out of seven days of the week. Not a very dignified job, but something to get him on his feet. James and Lily announced their engagement in September—something that Sirius had been expecting for months—although they didn't plan on getting married anytime soon. Sirius knew they were planning on buying a huge house out in the country, so they had to earn the money to buy it first. _Understandable_, Sirius thought. But the more he heard from James about Lily the more he missed Naida. They had agreed to still be in a relationship, but to put it on hold for the year that Naida would be gone.

Days slowly turned into weeks, which slowly turned into months, and eventually, ever so slowly, turned into a year. Sirius had finally managed to work his way into a worthwhile banking account, as well as a much nicer home on the outskirts of London. Although he still worked at the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore had approached him and asked if he had wanted to train to become an Auror. He agreed, and began his three-year training program in addition to working. Naida had kept him updated on all that she had done: she had moved from Tanzania to Kenya to Zimbabwe to Egypt…all across Africa. When she came home, he made sure he was the first to welcome her. She was much tanner, but other than that was the same Naida he had known and loved. It began to rain on them when he met her at the train station, but they didn't focus on anything but one another. "I've been meaning to ask you something," Sirius told her as she remained pressed into his chest during their embrace, her luggage forgotten.

"Yes?" she mumbled over his shoulder.

"I didn't mean for it to be here, the wettest, coldest, most unromantic spot in all of England, but…"

She immediately pushed herself away from him to look at his face fully, her own face glowing as a grin spread across it. "If you're asking me what I think you're asking me, Sirius Black, the answer is yes."

"Good, then you'll join me on a hike all the way through two thousand miles of the Australian outback with me?" he asked hopefully, grinning all the while.

She punched him playfully. "No silly…now ask me properly."

He couldn't help but smile at her. She was dirty and sweaty, cold and wet, but he couldn't help but find her beautiful. He got down on one knee and produced a platinum gold ring with one larger diamond in the middle with two smaller ones flanking it on either side. "Naida Breckenridge, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she replied, half sobbing and half laughing. "Yes, I'll marry you, Sirius!"

He laughed with her, picked her up, and spun her around on the platform in the rain. When he let her back down, she kissed him so passionately that he never wanted it to end. When they parted, he put his jacket around her shoulders, grabbed her luggage, and they Apparated.

Three months after her return to England, Naida and Sirius married. James and Lily, of course, were their best man and maid of honor in a beautiful outdoor ceremony where all of their friends and family were gathered—well, except Sirius's family. He didn't even invite them, much to Naida's dismay, but in place of them he invited the entire Potter clan: James's parents and aunts and uncles and cousins and whoever wanted to show up. Naida decided that was just as well. Sirius had always felt closer to James's family rather than his own.

Two years later when Sirius's mother died (his father having been deceased for over ten years), he was surprised to receive an owl from her estate manager saying that he was the new owner of the residence on Number 12, Grimmauld Place. "_As you are the only remaining kin mentioned in her will, you shall receive the entire Gringotts account in addition to the residence at Number 12, Grimmauld Place,_" he read to Naida from the letter. Looking up at her with his handsome face, he asked, "Wonder what I was mentioned in her will for…the old bat probably left me one of the dust bunnies from the basement floor. Or worse, that house elf Kreacher." He shivered at the thought of it.

Naida stood up behind him and placed her hands gently on his shoulders as she began to rub them. "Sirius, darling, your mother loved you." Before he could retort she added, "No matter how much you think she sent you off as an outcast…"

Sirius snorted with sarcastic laughter. "Oh, I don't _think_ she thought of me as an outcast, I _know_. Why else do you think she burned me from the Black family tree that to this day remains on the wall at Grimmauld Place?"

"…No matter how much you thought that, she _did_ get you through Hogwarts. Who else would have bought you all those books and robes and everything?"

"From the Black fortune, I guess…" Sirius said absentmindedly. He really didn't care if his mother lived or not. All he cared about was that he was as far away from that devilish place he had called home for way too long. He stopped feeling sorry for himself suddenly as he felt Naida's entire weight fall onto his shoulders. He turned around in alarm, seeing her hunched over him uncomfortably, her hands pressing deep into his shoulders. Her face was contorted in pain. "Naida, what is it?" he asked in alarm.

"Oh nothing, I've just had a bit of a faint spell, that's all," she said, sounding exasperated. "I've been rather tired lately. Probably just a virus or something." She didn't sound like it was nothing. Quickly Sirius stood up and helped her sit down in his chair. She closed her eyes and leaned back, looking exhausted. He kept his strong hands on her arms as best he could to steady her.

"Are you sure you'll be OK?"

"Yes, just let me rest here for just a moment. I'm sure it will be fine." She waved him away. Sirius obeyed, but not without taking note to keep a special watch on her just in case this reoccurred.

Five months later, Naida had finally convinced Sirius just to go and look at Grimmauld Place to see it. They had figured out what had caused the fainting spells: as it turned out they were expecting a baby boy. Naida couldn't have been more proud; although Sirius's paternal instinct had kicked in a bit too soon. Naida often found him fussing over her like an old maid when really she knew she had been completely fine. Still, she laughed at his awkward behavior. He had discouraged traveling such a long distance when she was in such a condition, but she insisted. "What are you, a Healer at St. Mungo's?" she asked, reaching up to pinch his cheek playfully. "I'll be _fine_. Relax, Dad."

Sirius took in a deep breath, calming the slightly older, but still handsome features. "OK. Just tell me if you need anything."

"Yes, I will, now let's get going. Not by Floo Powder, though—it still makes me queasy."

"Wouldn't it be…well, safer than Apparating?"

"Sirius, do you really think a big pregnant lady like me would _enjoy_ traveling by Floo Powder?" She put her hands on her hips in a playful scolding position.

"Right…"

"Relax, honey. If I was looking in on this situation I would have thought that _you_ were the one having the baby here!"

He finally began to chuckle as they disappeared with a faint _pop_.

"It's just as I remember it," Sirius scowled as soon as he made sure Naida was all right. "Dark, dusty, unfriendly…welcome home."

Naida put a comforting arm around his waist. "We just need to look at it, darling. That's all."

"Right. I wonder if that house elf is still around here somewhere…"

They hadn't taken a step when a loud screeching noise came from one of the floors above. "INFIDELS! WALKING IN MY SACRED HOUSEHOLD, DISTURBING THE PEACE THAT ONCE WAS!"

Naida jumped, but Sirius could have recognized that voice anywhere as his mother's. "I'm home, Mother!" he shouted back mockingly. "Did you miss me?"

"Sirius!" Naida poked him in the arm. The screaming abruptly stopped and Sirius heard the faint footsteps of something much smaller than a human. Soon the figure of Kreacher the house elf appeared at the bottom of the staircase. He looked like he had just woken up from a nap as he plodded over to the couple still standing in the entryway.

"You disturb my mistress, you do. She was right in calling you infidels! This is the sacred house of Black."

Sirius grunted in amusement as the house elf evidently had not recognized him. "Hello, Kreacher."

The creature jumped from his normal stupor in surprise. His voice changed into the tone of one trying to be a sleazy sort of friendly. "Why, Master Sirius has returned at last!" He bowed exuberantly. "What may I do in your service, my liege?"

Sirius bent down to the house elf's level. "As much as you don't like it and as much as I don't like it, Kreacher, this is my house now."

"Ah yes…_your_ house it is, sir. Your house it is. Kreacher knew this time would come."

"Yes, this house is mine as well as anything that comes with it. This includes you." Sirius's tone was harsh as he prodded his house elf in the chest hard with his finger. "So I expect whenever I return to this shack—that is, _if_ I return—to find it spotless. Got it?" His tone got harsher as he went on.

"Yes, Kreacher fully understands." He bowed again. "You shall be very pleased, Master Sirius." His sleazy tone was extremely prevalent, and Sirius could tell.

"OK, we're leaving," he said to his wife, standing right next to him still.

"But the house…"

"…will stay as it is. I've had enough." With that they Apparated out of Sirius's past once more.

Naida didn't mention Grimmauld Place again. Sirius appeared to get much happier as the thought of it left his mind. She was glad he didn't let it get to him. As the days progressed the list of things Naida couldn't do got progressively longer. She felt the weight of the child inside of her get heavier and heavier. Sirius kept on getting jumpier, which didn't help much for her case. He still let her go to work at the Ministry, however, even though he kept on giving her discouraging looks every time she got ready to leave. "Are you _sure_ you want to go to work? I'm not sure you're entirely fit to go…"

She always replied, "Sirius, darling, I'm fine. I'm not going to skip out of work just to sit around the house doing nothing." At that he would always begin to pout and she would kiss him gently on the cheek. "I'll be fine. Bye, sweetie."

"Bye." He usually spent his hours training to become an Auror under the teaching of Albus Dumbledore, seeing as he had quit his job at the Leaky Cauldron in order to focus solely on becoming an Auror. Dark times had fallen over them; a new Dark Lord Voldemort had arisen within the decade, and they would need all the support that they could get. Sirius had to keep a low profile, since he was in danger of the Death Eaters, as Voldemort's followers had been called. Naida worried for him, although in the back of her mind she knew how strong he was and that he could avoid danger if necessary. That was one of the only things that got her through her day.

Naida was at home when she felt a surging pain in her abdomen, which could only mean one thing: the baby was on its way. She doubled over in pain as she hobbled over to the kitchen where Sirius was fixing their supper. He smiled at her, but the smile quickly faded when he saw her arm folded across her now swelling stomach. "What's wrong, darling?" he asked, hurrying over to her side to support her weight.

"The—baby…" she said in between contractions. He went pale, but immediately flew into action. He quickly wrapped her in a large coat and helped to Apparate immediately to a hospital.

"He's growing so fast," James whispered to Sirius as they sat watching Aidan Sirius Black sleep in one of his rare naps. As a two-year-old he rarely rested at all.

"I know," Sirius said proudly as he watched his son roll over in the middle of what he could tell was a good dream. "But enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. He can be a handful."

"I'll bet…" He paused. "Are you doing OK, Sirius?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"Well, with a family and with everything that's going on…" He meant Voldemort's power getting stronger.

"The Order of the Phoenix is taking care of that," he said simply, looking out into the cold cloudy December evening. It was approaching Christmas.

"I know, but you're just so busy I worry about you sometimes, you know?"

"You have a wife," Sirius retorted, a bit sharper than he had originally intended, "and you're part of the Order."

"I didn't mean to make you angry, mate, I've just seen you under a lot of stress in the last couple years, that's all."

Sirius understood. He had felt a bit more stressed out than he would have liked, but that was life. Turning towards his sleeping son again, he gently touched Aidan's face and brushed a piece of jet-black hair out of it. "I couldn't be happier, James. Honestly. Dark Lord or no Dark Lord, I have a great family, wonderful friends, and a wonderful leader in Albus Dumbledore." He tucked the covers around Aidan tighter and the pair walked out of the room and into the kitchen where they sat down next to Lily and Naida.

James and Lily seemed to share some undisclosed knowledge with one another as they made eye contact and both began grinning at the same time. James slid his chair over to Lily and put his arm around her shoulders. "We have some good news," Lily announced to Sirius and Naida.

"News? What news?" Sirius asked.

"We're expecting in late July," James finished proudly, still grinning ear to ear.

"Congratulations!" both Naida and Sirius exclaimed excitedly at the exact same moment. They walked over and hugged their best friends.

"How long have you known?" Sirius asked.

"As of yesterday," Lily replied, smiling at her husband. "You two are the first to know."

Hugs were exchanged all around again, but just as they were about sit down, a rather loud cry came from Aidan's bedroom. "Paternal duty calls," Sirius said, grinning as he jumped up the stairs two at a time.

Albus Dumbledore still sat facing Lucius Malfoy and the rest of the council. He couldn't believe that it had already been three months since James and Lily had died. They had been so noble, so loyal, so _trusting_. That must have been their downfall: trust. Dumbledore just couldn't figure out one thing: _who_? Who could have done such an act? Unfortunately the council evidently believed it to be Sirius. Malfoy had them right at his fingertips, them bending to his every will. Every speech he made, he gained more followers, believing it to be the Potters' best friend who had betrayed them, and who had killed thirteen innocent people. _Sirius Black_. It couldn't be. Dumbledore knew he had to save one of the greatest people he had ever known from a terrible fate.

"You-Know-Who's powers are incomprehensible. There just aren't enough of us to counter his attacks."

"You underestimate our powers, Frank," James said at one of the Order of the Phoenix meetings. "Voldemort has a chance only if we put doubt in ourselves. We can't give up now, not when we're ahead of the game." A shiver went through one side of the room where people feared the name. Frank Longbottom glared at James.

"_You_ may have faith in our numbers, James, but in case you haven't noticed, they've decreased significantly. One out of four of our original members have been killed and even more have been attacked. There is no way that we can win."

This coming from Frank Longbottom, one of the greatest Aurors in history, came as a big surprise. "We can't just quit," came a growling voice from the back of the room. Everyone looked up to see who it was. "I've spent too many hours to just back out now." The man who had spoken came to the front of the room, towards Dumbledore. It was Mad Eye Moody, the most acclaimed Auror of the century. His wooden foot thudded hollowly on his every other step.

"A pleasant surprise, Alastor," Dumbledore said politely. "I was not informed you would be in attendance this evening."

"Just got off a shift," he growled in reply, "so I thought I'd drop by the party." He leaned on the table at the front of the room.

"As—as I was saying," Frank continued, "we need new people to come in. Reinforcements. I'm tired of being so tired all the time, on watches and such." There was a shout of agreement from the crowd.

"But there _are_ no reinforcements, Longbottom," Sirius said from his seat off to the side. His dark hair stood handsomely on end, like usual. "People are too scared, too afraid to even consider Aurorism."

"But…You-Know-Who," Arthur Weasley spoke up, "he's getting stronger and we're getting weaker by the second."

"Don't fear to speak his name, Arthur," Dumbledore said quietly, "or he will take advantage of what we have made him and come out more powerful than we can imagine." He spoke up louder so that everyone in the room could hear. "Lord Voldemort must be stopped, and it's up to us to figure out how, even if it takes us all night. Are there any suggestions?"

"Frank and Alice?" Naida asked in shock four months later when Sirius told her the news.

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

"They're not…"

"Not dead, no, but he tortured them so badly that they're…" He took a moment to choke back his tears. "…They'll be incapacitated for life. They're worse off than being dead."

"Didn't they just have a baby?"

"Yes, a boy. Not two weeks ago."

Naida gasped. "The poor thing!"

"He'll never know them as who they have been to us, obviously, but he'll have to be raised by that batty old grandmother of his."

"His name started with an N I remember…Norman? No…Neville it was, wasn't it?" Naida walked around the room, dazed.

"Yes." Sirius stood up from his chair and joined his wife as she looked out the window and into the night. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she let herself lean back into him, resting her head on his shoulder as they both stared out into the darkness.

"I just…can't imagine…" She began to sob.

"What, dear?" Sirius asked gently.

"If that happened to us…where would Aidan go? Or…if…if you were killed. Sirius, what would happen then?" By now she was sobbing almost uncontrollably.

Sirius turned her around in his arms to face him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks at this point. "That's not going to happen. I swear to you, Naida, it will never happen. I won't let that happen to me and leave you and Aidan alone. Even if something happened to us, he will always have the Potters." He pulled her closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck as she just let out all her tears.

That Friday, the 31st of July, Lily gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom they named Harry. Naida, Sirius, and Aidan were the first to visit the happy family. "I suppose these guys are almost like brothers," Sirius said as he held the sleeping form of Harry in his arms out to a curious Aidan to see. "This is Harry, Aidan," Sirius said proudly.

"Hi, Haw-wy," the three-year-old said proudly. His speaking skills still hadn't entirely developed yet.

As Aidan looked curiously at Harry, Lily turned to Naida and Sirius. "We'd like you two to be the godparents," she said.

"Yes, it would be most fitting, as we're Aidan's," James said, smiling and reaching out to pinch the toddler on a round cheek.

"Of course, we'd be proud to be Harry's godparents," Naida said. "These two will probably grow up like brothers anyway, the way their fathers act." Lily smiled sweetly as she nodded in agreement.

"Hey, you have to admit, I'm not that bad of a dad," Sirius said, walking over to stand next to his wife.

"Not too bad…I suppose…" She giggled like a little girl as she reached up and gently squeezed his neck like she had when they were back at Hogwarts.

The other couple just laughed. "Just like the old days, huh?" Lily asked.

"Yup, still ticklish—unfortunately," Sirius grumbled.

"I find it cute," came Naida's reply.

"Well, at least I can still do this," Sirius said mischievously as he suddenly reached out and grabbed Naida by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked in between laughs.

"Somewhere where you'll never tickle me again," he said, grinning. She pounded her fists on his back, but he was relentless. He ran out the door and towards the Potters' back yard where there was a rather large pond.

"Oh no you don't, Sirius Black! Put me down!" she yelled, realizing where he was taking her and pounding on his back.

"Try and stop me!" he chuckled as she still giggled in between yelling at him to put her down. He ran out onto the dock, with the Potters watching from their back door, Harry and Aidan with them. Sirius stopped at the edge of the dock, lingering for a while and letting his wife think about the situation some more.

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Sirius," James called from his back porch. "She'll find some way to get you back, believe me."

"Oh, I think it's a marvelous idea," Sirius said, teasing.

"You'd better not, she can get rather feisty," Lily warned. "Then again, I would too if I were in her situation," she whispered to James out of the corner of her mouth. He only smiled.

"They sure do love each other, though, don't they?" he asked. Just then a huge scream came from Naida, along with a rather large splash. It appeared that Sirius had gone through with his plan and had tossed her into the water.

"I'll get you for this!" she yelled at him as she surfaced again. Sirius didn't hear her, as he was laughing too hard.

"Here, let me help you out of there," he said, offering his hand to her. She took it, but pulled hard, pulling him into the water next to her. They both took one look at each other and started laughing, it seeming that they both wouldn't stop. James came towards the dock, shaking his head, and pulled them both out of the water.

"You two are crazy, you know that, don't you?" he asked, a smile appearing on his face.

"Yes, but we're crazy together, aren't we dear?" Naida asked Sirius innocently, wringing excess water from her hair. He smiled back and shook his head in a very dog-like manner.

"We'd better get going," he replied. "Don't want to hang around too long in wet clothes. Thanks, mate." Sirius went up and embraced James, getting him all wet. "It was great to see you and Harry, Lily," he hugged her too. Naida did the same. Soon they were all wet in some form or another, but they couldn't help but laugh at it. It was one of the few remaining nights they would be able to laugh so openly and honestly at such a trivial thing together.

Naida learned two weeks later that she was pregnant again. She and Sirius were ecstatic about the news, but they couldn't be for long; the Order of the Phoenix had learned of a planned attack around the end of October on one of their members, specifically James Potter. Sirius went straight to the Potter household alone that evening after their meeting with the Order where they learned the news. He talked to James in an unused back office they always used for private conversations like this.

"How did he find out?" was the first thing Sirius asked, worried stiff.

"You have it wrong, Sirius, Albus said that there were plots to attack _an_ Order member, but he doesn't know it's me for sure."

"Yet. He could easily find out that I'm your best friend and…and…torture me. He may even be able to extract that I'm your Secret Keeper."

"You would never do that to me, old friend."

"What if we switched Secret Keepers?" Sirius asked hurriedly.

"What?"

"It's obvious that of all people _I_ would be your Secret Keeper…but if I acted as a diversion and someone _else_ was the Secret Keeper…"

"But you would never betray me. Both you and I know that."

"If we switched it someone like Remus…"

"He's too vulnerable with every full moon and all." James thought for a long moment. He knew it was never safe to switch a Secret Keeper in the middle of the spell.

"What about Dumbledore? No, he's too obvious…Voldemort would expect him."

"I would feel a lot better if you would stay my Secret Keeper, Padfoot."

"My job is to protect you, and I think a diversion like this would hold Voldemort's attention on me." He thought again, long and hard. Then it came to him. "I know, Prongs, old friend. _Peter_."

"You're not serious. I haven't talked to him for ages."

"Maybe not, but do you think Voldemort would suspect him more than me or Dumbledore?"

James didn't want to mean, but he admitted, "He probably wouldn't give him a second glance."

"_Exactly_. That way you and Lily and Harry will stay safe and away from harm."

"What about you? Naida? Aidan?"

Sirius felt a tug at his heartstrings. He had told Naida that he would never leave her alone, and with this and another baby on the way… He sighed deeply, pulling his shoulders up, and then back down again. "They'll understand."

"I can't have you sacrificing your entire family!" James exclaimed. "It's bad enough that you're the Secret Keeper, and here you want to _lure_ him towards you? You'd have to spend almost the rest of your life on the run as long as he's alive—as long as _you're_ alive."

"The secrets of the Order have to be kept safe. I knew this from the beginning. Naida knew this from the beginning. We'll be fine." Sirius' deep blue eyes pleaded to James to let him do this—this one thing.

James' eyes remained on Sirius for a long time before he finally agreed. "OK. As long as you don't endanger yourself too much. I trust you, and I trust you'll try to stay as safe as possible."

"You know I usually advise against this, Sirius," Dumbledore said gravely as Sirius came to him with the news that he would switch and Peter would become Secret Keeper. "It is dangerous to switch in the middle of this spell; the information would be open to all peoples' eyes, even if just for a single moment."

"I know and respect this, Albus, but if I had Voldemort chasing after me, and not James…"

"That would only put yourself in a risky situation. You can't do this to both you and your family, Sirius."

"I think it would be for the best. Please, Albus."

The elderly man's blue eyes penetrated Sirius's. "You know I respect all of your opinions, Sirius. I must admit however, this one worries me. In the end it will be up to you and James to talk it through and decide on what you want to do in the end, even though I strongly advise against what you are planning to do; it appears to me to be far too rash. However, I will follow through whatever you decide."

"Thank you so much." With that, Sirius left the room and went to tell James the good news. The Order would be kept safe. Sirius would be in danger for most of the rest of his life, but Naida would understand; she always did.

"Sirius, you can't do that!" Naida exclaimed with tears of frustration as he explained how he would be luring Voldemort away from Britain and closer to the Middle East where there were witches and wizards who could keep Voldemort at bay better than the Order of the Phoenix. "Who put you up to this?"

"I did," Sirius replied quietly, while trying to calm her down by taking her in his arms. She brushed him away.

She looked at him with a look of disbelief. "You promised," she sobbed, "that you'd never leave me and Aidan alone, _never_. And with a new baby on the way…" She broke down. This time when he came forward to comfort her she didn't resist.

"You know it's just to protect the Order."

"But _you're_ part of the Order and you won't be protected!" she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'll be all right. You know me, always one to sneak around." He tried to make light of the situation. It seemed to work, as Naida let out a half sob half laugh. He pushed away from her to look at her fully in the face and kissed her deeply on the lips. "Don't worry about me," he whispered in her ear. "You have more important things to worry about." She simply nodded. "I won't disappear off the planet totally—there will be times where I will be able to stay here for a few weeks at a time." Again, she just nodded. Sirius just stood there hugging her, not sure what else to say.

"Peter, there is something we have to tell you," James said with Sirius at his side. They hadn't seen Peter Pettigrew for three years, and in those years he had grown to look even more like a rat with protruding watery eyes and buckteeth. He also looked like he was ill. Again, James questioned if this was a good idea.

"Yes, James?"

"First you must know that this is _extremely_ important, something that could potentially affect if Lily and I live or die." Peter made a face that appeared to be politely concerned.

"So don't screw it up, Wormtail," Sirius butted in, a bit more aggressive than what James had been anticipating.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"Peter, Sirius has been my Secret Keeper for about two years now because I have knowledge that is extremely vital to the effort against Voldemort." Peter shivered, but neither Sirius nor James took any notice. "We have gained information that Voldemort may be out to attack me, so Sirius was going to divert Voldemort's attention while Lily and Harry and I find a better hiding place."

"I'm afraid I don't completely understand."

"I want the Dark Lord to believe that _I _am still the Secret Keeper," Sirius explained, "when really _you'll_ be it. That way the Potters' whereabouts will remain safe."

"So would you be willing to help us out, Wormtail?" James asked politely.

"Of—of course," Peter Pettigrew said, appearing a bit too enthusiastic for Sirius' liking.

"You'd better be careful, Pettigrew," Sirius said, "or else you'll have me to deal with."

"Sirius, what are you talking about?" James asked, appalled by Sirius' odd behavior.

"Can't you see it in his face, James? He's a traitor already. This isn't a good idea."

"We can't back out now! Dumbledore's expecting us in ten minutes to perform the spell again."

"We can't do this," Sirius said stubbornly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, mate, but we're going through with your idea no matter if you like it or not. I don't know what's gotten into you, accusing Peter like that!"

"You—you're completely right, Prongs. I don't know what I was thinking." Sirius slouched in his chair.

"Now, let's get going. Albus wanted to perform the spell as soon as possible." With that, the three Apparated with three faint _pop_s.

A month and a half later, it was the middle of September, five weeks before Halloween. Sirius had been on the run for stints of two weeks at a time, then a week back at home before he went away again. He could tell this was taking a toll on Naida as well as Aidan. She was watching him playing with Aidan in the backyard intently from a chaise lounge, her eyes slightly glazed over. "What's wrong, Naida?" he asked, straightening up. He hurried over to her. "Is it the baby?"

"No, nothing's wrong with me, I just have this weird feeling, that's all. I'm sure it will go away in a second. But he could tell that she wasn't OK. She looked like she had just seen a ghost or had a bad dream.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, positive." He walked back to Aidan, who was playing with his toy broomstick. Naida smiled. "He flies just about as well as his father did when we were young."

Sirius straightened and looked back at her, smiling too. "Remember when James and I just about killed you for getting Quidditch Captain our sixth year?" he asked, walking over towards her.

She threw her head back and laughed hysterically. "I had to watch my every move for _months_, checking my food and drink to make sure you hadn't put something in it or anything."

"We wouldn't have done that," Sirius said innocently. "We maybe would have gave you the Total Body Bind and shoved you in the Vanishing Cabinet for a few years, but _never_ would we have tried to _poison_ you!" He inhaled obviously, feigning astonishment.

"I beg to differ," she giggled. Eventually the laughter died down and Naida's face turned into a frown. "Those were the good old days, weren't they, Sirius?"

"We have some darn good days here too," he said.

"I mean before Voldemort, before all this fear…" She took the time to lean back into him as he put his arms around her waist protectively, feeling a slight bulge where the new baby was growing. "I love you more than anything, Sirius, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes," he whispered in her ear as they watched Aidan attempt to fly his broomstick across the yard. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you or Aidan—ever."

The next day Sirius had to leave for an entire month because the Order of the Phoenix had a lead that something was riling the Death Eaters.

"I don't want to leave Naida and Aidan here alone for a whole month, Albus," Sirius retorted for the hundredth time to Dumbledore.

"They will be well protected, I can assure you. Right now we need you to divert Voldemort and the Death Eaters' attention so that I will be able to strengthen the Secret Keeper spell on James and Lily and Peter. It would be too risky to strengthen it with Voldemort on our tails."

"Peter is protected too, right?" Sirius asked. He felt guilty knowing that he himself had put this burden on his friend.

"Yes, Peter has extra protection. It appears that he is in no danger as of yet. Your plan so far is going just as you planned."

"Good. I feel guilty for just throwing the Secret Keeper task on Peter, but it was for the best."

"We all know you would risk anything for your family and friends. Now you had better get going. We don't want to dally here too long."

"All right." With that Sirius hopped on his flying motorcycle and kicked off, turning only to wave at Dumbledore.

"Goodbye, old friend," Albus Dumbledore said softly as he watched the bike speed away into the night. He knew Sirius would be safe, but he had a bad feeling that something was about to change for the worse. But pushing those feelings aside, he focused on the task at hand: Peter Pettigrew.

Dumbledore closed his eyes as he remembered that night—that last night where everything was seemingly perfect. Often, Albus Dumbledore would contemplate on why he had let Sirius give the Secret Keeper job to Peter Pettigrew. He had _known_ something like this would happen. And now they were going to throw an innocent man behind bars at Azkaban. Dumbledore had talked to Sirius, who had pled innocent. He believed him. But now his fate was at the hands of Lucius Malfoy, and by the looks of it, things weren't turning out too good at all.

"Oh, Sirius, I've missed you so much!" Naida said as she ran out to greet her husband, Aidan happily trotting behind. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips passionately, not unlike what they had done at the train station those many years ago when he had proposed to her. Aidan sneaked in between the two, so Sirius patted him on the head and picked him up, spinning him around, making the little boy chuckle.

"I've missed you, Daddy," Aidan said in between giggles.

"I've missed you too, buddy." With that, Sirius put Aidan under his right arm and put his left around Naida. "It's certainly good to be back." They walked into the house where Aidan started to amuse himself with a fake wand that the Potters had sent.

"Don't worry, it only shoots real sparks once in a while," James had said jokingly as Lily punched him on the shoulder lightly.

"Of course James just _had_ to try it out before we came over here," Lily had said.

"I just want the best for my favorite godson!" came the retort as James took Aidan up in his arms.

Sirius knew that visits between his family and James's were limited as long as Voldemort was still out there looking for the Potters—and him too, come to think of it. As Aidan became intrigued by the wand once more, he turned to Naida. "Any reports from Albus?"

"None since you left. He's trying to keep a low profile."

"Plus he has the school to worry about…that should obviously have first priority. Understandable."

"I'm worried about Lily and James," Naida said softly.

"Why?"

"Last time I talked to Lily, she was concerned. It seems like they haven't heard from Peter since Dumbledore made the spell stronger between them."

Sirius looked at her, alarmed. "Something happened to Peter?"

"That's what I don't know. But if the Death Eaters got hold of him…Sirius, you know he's not as strong as you or James or Remus…I—I just don't know…" She started crying slightly. "I don't think he'd be able to resist the pressures of them, that's all. And that puts Lily and James in danger…oh, Sirius, what should we do?"

"I don't know, Naida." He stared at his son playing with the wand that at the moment was giving off a golden light, which reminded Sirius of a phoenix somehow. "All we can really do is wait."

"But for how long?" she asked, huddling close beside him, leaning in against his shoulder.

"As soon as this all clears up and life can go back to normal." But in the back of both their minds, they knew that _normal_ would never be the same as what they had previously known.

On Halloween, Sirius was to go to Hogwarts to visit with Dumbledore regarding the security of his family. He unwillingly left Naida and Aidan once more. Before he left, he held Naida to his chest and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I love you more than anything, you know that don't you?"

"Of course, Sirius. I've known that since the day I met you." They stood holding each other for a while when finally she replied into his ear in a hushed tone, "I love you too."

Then Sirius turned to Aidan. "Be good to your mother there, buddy," he said, messing up the boy's jet-black hair. With it messed up in the back, he looked almost exactly like Sirius had in Hogwarts, only smaller.

"I will, Daddy."

"I love you, Aidan." With that, he took his son up in his arms and kissed him on the cheek. "You're almost getting to heavy for this, bud!" Sirius said laughing. "I don't think your old man will be able to twirl you around much longer." He put Aidan down and looked briefly at Naida's stomach. He had a lurching feeling in his own stomach that this would be the last time they would be together…but he quickly forced that thought from his mind. What was he thinking? He'd be back in a few hours anyway. Lightheartedly, he led the way out the door where his motorcycle was parked in the driveway once more. He jumped on, started it, and took off into the air. He looked back to see Naida and Aidan waving at him enthusiastically. He hovered, turned around in his seat, and waved back, trying to smile happily. Sirius lingered in the air for a while, looking down at his happy family below. He gradually pulled away, the bad feeling in his stomach lingering as if that would be the last time he would ever see his wife and son.

"You and your family must go into hiding, Sirius," Dumbledore said as he paced in his office behind his desk. "It is just too dangerous for you to risk as much as you have for the Order anymore."

"But I've kept the Death Eaters from seeing our vulnerability!" Sirius protested. "I kept them off your backs for a while."

"Yes, I will forever be grateful to you for that, but you are endangering your entire family here, Sirius, as well as James's. I understand that you would like for nothing more than to help out in every way possible, but you must realize that you already have done all that you can for us."

"I understand, I guess." Sirius felt dejected. He had done so well for the Order of the Phoenix; had been right in the thick of things, when he had to just stop it all.

Dumbledore looked at the man in front of him from caring, thoughtful eyes. He chuckled slightly. "I am aware that you have always been one to go off looking for trouble with James—it appears that trait never fully left you—but you must do this for your family if for nothing else." By now Sirius had his head in his hands. "Sirius?"

"I—I've just had this…feeling. Today when I left Naida and Aidan…it just felt like—like I'd never see them again." By now Sirius was sobbing, something he never did in front of anyone but Naida and James.

Dumbledore came around his desk and put a strong hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing, Sirius, my friend. We're all uptight these days."

"I just don't know…it tears my heart to pieces just thinking about losing them…"

"That's one of the best qualities you possess, Sirius: your dedication and strong attachment to those you love." Dumbledore walked over to brush a finger over Fawkes the phoenix's head. "You have done everything in your power to ensure the safety of all that you love."

"Not all of them. Look what I did to Peter! I just threw that burden on his shoulders and now he's gone missing! Lily and James haven't heard from him in over a month since you performed that spell!"

"I am sure Peter is fine. He may not be as strong as you, but he sure knows how to blend into hiding when he needs to. He seemed genuinely happy when I performed the spell on him. You have done all you can. Now take a step back and look at _you_. Over the past few months especially you've been thinking about everyone but yourself. Now, I have it arranged for you and Naida and Aidan to move in to the apartment above the Three Broomsticks. It's not luxurious, but it will do where you three can keep hidden as you wait for the new arrival." Sirius looked up at Dumbledore and the twinkle in the old man's eye told Sirius that everything would be fine. He managed to smile. "Good. I haven't seen a smile on your face for quite some time. Now, it would be good for you to move your family in as soon as possible—by Saturday if you can arrange it. That way I can keep a close eye over your family and you can just sit back and relax."

"What about Madam Rosmerta?"

"She has been informed that it is your family who is moving in and has been sworn to secrecy. No worries, she has kept secrets far bigger than this one before. You will find that she is one of Hogsmeade's most gracious hostesses."

Sirius took a deep breath and thought about things for a few minutes. He had to admit, Dumbledore was right. He really hadn't taken any time for himself in the past months. It would be good for him to just lie low for a spell. "OK, I'll do it," he said, determinedly.

"Excellent."

"I'll go straight home and tell Naida. We'll be in Hogsmeade as soon as possible."

"Wonderful." As Sirius stood up from his chair, Dumbledore stopped him. "And Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for all that you have done. You do not know how much your efforts have meant to the Order."

Sirius smiled. "No, thank you, Albus. You've been more of a help to my family than I could have ever imagined. We wouldn't be in the position we're in without you. Now I'd better get going. It's a two hour ride and I don't want to get home too late."

"I expect to be seeing you soon then?"

"Yes, as soon as we can. Goodbye, Albus."

"Goodbye, Sirius."

As soon as he took off on his prized motorcycle, he could tell something wasn't right. He hoped it wasn't his worst fear and Naida and Aidan were all right. The next two hours felt like forever. He flew over the all too familiar hill when he caught sight of his house…he took in a sharp breath. The house was smoking as the flames protruded through the roof and a thick black smoke billowed. He caught a faint trace of what looked like the sign of the Death Eaters: the Dark Mark hovering above the roof. He couldn't believe what he saw but he kicked his bike into gear quickly and flew as fast as it could go towards his front yard. He jumped off before it touched the ground and just left it sputtering and crashing to the ground. Neighbors were starting to gather around the inferno as they cried and held each other. Sirius didn't care what the risk, he ran straight into the burning house. He didn't even hear the neighbors calling him back.

"Naida! Aidan! Where are you?" he called into the smoke and flames, coughing and sputtering himself. "Naida! Aidan!" The heat was stifling, suffocating him. "Nai-da!" he coughed as he made his way through the kitchen and into their living room. He saw a dark heap on the floor and recognized it immediately as Naida. Horrified, he ran over to her and felt a slight pulse. She was moaning slightly. Effortlessly, he picked her up and ran her outside to safety.

"Aidan…" she moaned. "Sirius…where—where are you?" Quickly, Sirius ran back inside the burning house.

"Sirius no! It's about to collapse!" yelled a bystander.

He didn't care. He ran straight for the living room where he found Aidan's motionless body close to where Naida's had been. Ignoring his emotions and the creaking staircase, he focused solely on adrenaline and grabbed Aidan and ran out the door just before the whole house collapsed in on itself. He ran over to where he had placed Naida and lay Aidan in the grass beside her. "Aidan!" he sputtered. "Aidan, can you hear me? It's Daddy!" He sobbed; it was too late. He cried harder and shivered when he saw what Aidan had clutched in his hand: the toy wand James and Lily had given him. He went on to Naida who was shaking violently and clutched her to him. It was amazing how both his wife and son weren't really even burned; they were covered in soot. "Naida, darling."

She looked up. "Sirius…Sirius, they—they killed—they killed Aidan!" she sobbed. "_Ava—Avada Ked—Kedavra_…and then they turned on me…asked where you were…then…_he_ came…he came and…used the Crucius Curse when I wouldn't tell him anything. Oh, Sirius!" She clung to him, but it wasn't a strong grip. He knew her suffering would soon be over.

"Shhh…it's OK, Naida," he said trying to comfort her, but tears streaming down his own face. Her breaths were shallow and desperate. Sirius also knew that it would be too late for the baby growing inside of her. There was no way it could have survived. His choked back tears let loose and he cried with her, unwilling to let her go.

"Sirius?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes?"

"I—I love—you," she choked out, "more than anything."

He could tell it was difficult for her just to say these simple words. "I love you too, Naida. I always have."

"Sirius, they—the Death Eaters—mentioned James…and Lily. They know, Sirius. Somehow…they know where they are! I—I can't stand the thought—of them going through this. And poor little Harry…" Somehow Sirius knew what she was asking him to do, but didn't want to leave her here just to die. "Promise me—that you'll go to the Potters'. Promise me, Sirius."

"But you…and…and Aidan…" Fresh tears leaked out of his eyes.

"It's too late—for us."

"Don't talk like that, Naida. You'll be fine!"

"No, Sirius." She was extremely calm. "You have made my life complete and I am grateful to you for that. I am not afraid to die for a cause like this: vanquishing Voldemort forever." She reached up and stroked his hair. "Now go," she coughed. Her breaths just got shallower.

"Naida…"

"Go…Sirius…my love…" With that, her grip around his strong shoulders slackened and her eyes closed. Crying freely, Sirius grabbed Aidan's body and Naida's and pressed them against his own, sobbing. He had just lost his wife, his son, his unborn child, and his entire house. Everything that he had ever worked for. But now he knew what he had to do: fly to Godric's Hollow and try to prevent the same fate from happening to James, Lily, and Harry.

Tears blinded his vision on top of his motorcycle, but that didn't matter, since he had traveled to James' so much he knew the way without having to see where he was going. He thought about the courageous fight his wife and son had put up against Voldemort and his supporters. Even Aidan had wanted to help by using his fake wand. A fresh wave of tears came forth. He was in disbelief.

Later Sirius couldn't say he was completely surprised when he saw that the Potters' house was leveled. He had known this would happen in the back of his mind. He had no more tears to cry anyway. Silently, he touched down his motorbike in the front lawn where many people had already gathered, including the keeper at Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid. "Hello, Hagrid," Sirius said, coming up to the gigantic form from behind.

Hagrid turned. "Hullo, Sirius," he replied, still in shock at the scene in front of him.

"Did anyone survive?" Sirius choked out. However the improbable odds, there was always hope. He knew that James would have given his all to protect Lily and their son, but that probably wouldn't have been enough against the most powerful sorcerer in the world.

"Jus' little Harry 'ere," Hagrid coughed, producing a small bundle from inside his overcoat. "Poor little guy." Hagrid shook his head. "But it's a miracle. They say that Voldemort just up and killed poor Lily an' James, yeh know, but then he turned on little Harry 'ere and jus' couldn' do it. Spell rebounded on himself they say." At that moment Sirius noticed the grotesque lighting-shaped scar on his godson's forehead. "It's a miracle he came out without e'en a scratch."

A wave of relief flowed through him. At least Harry had survived the attack. "Give him to me, Hagrid. I'm his godfather."

With sympathetic eyes, Hagrid looked Sirius up and down. "I really would like to, Sirius. But see, I got Dumbledore's orders. He wants me to bring him to his Muggle aunt and uncle's place to stay for a while. Thinks it'll be safer there."

"But Lily and James gave me custody of him if anything ever happened to them."

Hagrid patted Sirius in a comforting way on the shoulder, something which almost buckled the grown man's knees. "I know yeh really wan' him and all, but I jus' can't go back on strict orders from Dumbledore."

"I understand, Hagrid." He started crying again. "Lily and James…I just can't believe it. Here, take my motorcycle to bring him to his aunt and uncle's. I won't need it anymore."

Trying to comfort Sirius as much as he could, Hagrid was surprised by the offer. "Yeh sure? I know how much yeh love that bike."

"I'm positive, Hagrid. You'll get there faster and the faster Harry is out of danger the better."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine. I'm sure eventually I'll be fine…" With that, Hagrid gave Sirius the wrapped bundle that was Harry as he mounted the bike. Sirius looked at his sleeping godson one last time before he gave him back to Hagrid. "Have a safe flight, Hagrid. I'm sure I'll see you soon." He stepped back as Hagrid took off, watching as his previous life flew away into the darkness.

Sirius walked around and around the Potters' old house, awestruck at what had happened. "I was too late," he kept on mumbling, "a few minutes earlier and I might have been able to stop it…" His wandering was interrupted by the shrill shriek of a mouse or rat underneath his feet. Sirius bent down and looked closely. There was only one rat that always tended to look so frightened all of the time. "Wormtail?" he asked, bending down to look at it closer. "_Lumos_," he mumbled as the tip of his wand lit. Sure enough, there was a rat under his feet that could only be Peter Pettigrew. It tried to scamper away, but Sirius quickly made it turn back into Peter.

"S—Sir---Sirius! Am I gl—glad to see you!"

"Peter! I'm relieved to see you all in one piece. Whatever happened to you? We were all worried something horrible had happened. But how did Voldemort get the information where James and Lily were?"

"I—I went into hiding, you see. Afraid of—of _him_. And he—he—tortured me to get—to get the information." In the back of his head Sirius told himself not to believe Peter, that he was lying. But he threw that aside. Peter was a friend. He would have never betrayed his best friends.

"Did you give it to him?"

Wormtail looked straight ahead before began sobbing. "Yes, Sirius, yes! I couldn't help it. He's just too powerful!" By now he was on his knees sobbing into the hem of Sirius's robes. Sirius didn't know what to say; yet these sobs seemed so—_forced_.

Sirius pulled Peter up to a standing position. His emotions were so mixed that he didn't know what he wanted to do. Part of him wanted to forgive Peter for what he had done, part of him blamed himself for betraying Lily and James by switching Secret Keepers, part of him wanted to hurt Peter, and another part of him just wanted to get away from it all. He swallowed his emotions. "Listen, Peter. Go into hiding for a few years until this blows over a bit more. Find a family and act as their pet rat for a while." Sirius gripped Peter's shoulder. "I wouldn't want to lose anyone else that I love tonight."

"OK. I'll do that. But what about you, Sirius? Will you go home?"

"I have no home to go back to anymore," Sirius said sadly.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Sirius looked up into his friend's watery eyes. "I mean that Voldemort came to my house and killed my son, tortured my wife, and destroyed my house. I have no family and no house to go back to."

"Oh, Sirius, I'm so sorry." Sirius sensed no sorrow in Peter's voice, but just told himself to relax and ignore it. Surely he was just imagining things because it had been a long night—a _very_ long night.

Instead he just nodded, his eyes not shedding a tear. "Dumbledore offered me the apartment above the Three Broomsticks earlier today. I think I'll just go there and lie low for a while. Take care, Peter."

"You too, Sirius." With that, Peter turned back into a rat and scampered across the lawn. Sirius looked back at the leveled house on Godric's Hollow, turned into a large black shaggy dog, and trotted away.

Five minutes after arriving at the apartment above the Three Broomsticks, Dumbledore walked in to find Sirius sitting on a shabby chair from the kitchenette, looking at his hands in disbelief. "Sirius?"

He didn't even look up. "Albus."

"I'm sorry for what you've had to go through tonight. I know you feel it is a night for sorrow, but you also have to see the light of things: it appears that little Harry Potter has done what we thought was impossible by defeating Voldemort, at least temporarily."

Sirius looked up. "I just lost my wife, my son, my unborn child, my two best friends, _and_ my godson all in the same evening, not to mention my house that I had worked for all my life. Excuse me for not being in the mood to celebrate."

Dumbledore put a comforting hand on Sirius's shoulder, similar to the way he had done so just hours before in his office. "You're feeling guilty that you weren't there to protect them, I know, but you must understand that there would have been nothing you could have done against Voldemort."

"But those Death Eaters! I could have stopped them from torturing my wife! I could have stopped them from setting fire to my house!" For a few minutes, Sirius let the sobs and tears come as Dumbledore sat down in the chair next to him. "And Harry. Albus, why couldn't I be Harry's guardian when I'm his godfather?"

"He is currently staying with his only remaining relatives, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. Petunia is Lily's sister, which will help to keep Harry safe."

"But I could have kept him safe."

Dumbledore shook his head. "It is an ancient magic that few will ever truly comprehend. Lily died for Harry; she died protecting him. The protection resulting from that love is so strong that blood relatives will have it too. As long as he is in their house, he will be safe from anything, whether it be stray Death Eaters or Voldemort when he gains strength again."

"But _will_ he gain strength again?"

"Most certainly. The rebounded _Avada Kedavra_ curse was not enough to kill him because it was secondhand. He is now merely a spirit who will live off of other lives until he can grow stronger."

"I still don't entirely understand why Harry can't stay with me."

"You'll understand, in time. For now, you must rest."

"I can't, Albus."

"You must."

"I know, but I just can't get over the fact that Peter is out there somewhere, hiding from the remaining Death Eaters because they had tortured him for the information on James and Lily."

Dumbledore's expression grew grave. "I am afraid Peter Pettigrew is no longer our ally, Sirius. Now, get some rest and we'll talk again in the morning."

Three months later, Peter Pettigrew would encounter Sirius Black once more. By then, Sirius had connected his feelings and what Dumbledore had told him about his friend Wormtail. He had come to the inevitable conclusion that Peter had betrayed Lily and James to Lord Voldemort. There was no other explanation. Without Dumbledore's permission, he left his home at Hogsmeade and went looking for Peter. Somehow he knew exactly where to find his old friend. Before he knew it, he was in an alleyway on the Muggle side of London, cornering a terrified Peter Pettigrew against a wall.

"You betrayed Lily and James, Peter," Sirius said slowly. "You betrayed them to Voldemort."

"You must understand! The Dark Lord's powers are hard to avoid."

"Not if you know where your loyalties lie."

Wormtail quivered as Sirius approached slowly. "Sirius, please…forgive me…"

Sirius ignored him and twirled his wand over and over calmly in his hand. "You betrayed me and my wife and my son and my two best friends!" he bellowed. "There's no way I could forgive you for that!"

"Sirius, no!"

"I don't care if I go to Azkaban for this, Peter. I've waited for weeks, months even to confront you. I don't care. You betrayed us all to Voldemort and it's about time that I kill you." Sirius pointed his wand at Peter's chest.

By now spectators were gathering, watching the scene taking place in front of them. Peter looked around warily and yelled, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you have betrayed Lily and James?" He was sobbing in the same fake manner that he had used with Sirius on Halloween at Godric's Hollow. Before he knew it, Sirius was knocked backwards by a strong explosion. People everywhere screamed.

Lying on the pavement and looking at the scene in front of him, Sirius saw a group of rats retreating down a sewer grate. He couldn't help himself and began to laugh. "You're a coward, you know that, Peter?" he said to no one in particular as he just chuckled away. "Afraid of your friends, afraid of your master, afraid of your master's followers… And go into hiding! That's always been something you've been good at, hasn't it?" With that, Ministry officials Apparated with numerous _pop_s. They quickly took witnesses and modified their memories after questioning them, then surveyed the damage. Thirteen Muggles had been killed. Still, Sirius was sitting on the ground, laughing.

"We'll have to take you in, Sirius," an official said gravely.

"Fine, fine…but you must know that Pettigrew was behind all this! Brilliant man, isn't he? Make it look like _I_ did this and just takes off running!"

At that point another member of the Ministry came forward. "Sir, this is all we could find of Pettigrew," he said gravely, pointing to a finger sitting near the sewer grate. "Otherwise he's…well, gone."

"Yes, gone down that grate!' Sirius yelled.

"How would he fit down there, Sirius?" the first official asked, alarmed.

"Why, he's an Animagus, of course! Turns into a rat. He slipped down there with all the other sewer rat scum to avoid this, and to fake his own death."

"You're talking nonsense! I can assure you that Pettigrew is not on the Animagus records at the Ministry."

"Of course he isn't," Sirius said calmly. "That's because he's _not_ registered."

"That's illegal, Siriius."

"But he is! I've seen him transform…thousands of times…" By now Sirius sounded like he was drunk—you couldn't blame the Ministry officials for not believing him.

Both officials looked at Sirius, alarmed. "Let's take him to the Ministry where we can keep an eye on him. I'm afraid he'll have to go on trial for fourteen counts of murder."

"I'd question his sanity as well."

"He lost his entire family and both his best friends back in October. You have to give him a break there."

Sirius Black was then taken to the Ministry of Magic where he would await his trial.

"So we're all in agreement then that Sirius Black is guilty of all charges?" Lucius Malfoy asked smugly. All but Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Dumbledore? You've been supporting Black, do you have anything more to say?"

"You all know my opinions on the matter. They have not changed. However, you would all override my opinion and it would all be useless to keep you all here much longer. I can only hope that when the trial comes the court will make the right decision."

"Right. Any other comments?" The entire room was silent. "Excellent. This meeting is adjourned."

Everyone at the table stood up at the same time and began talking in low voices. Dumbledore could overhear Cornelius Fudge talking to Lucius Malfoy. "I do wish the rules of the court would change. We've just discussed this topic for three hours and now we have to hear the same thing later this week. I wish _we_ could make the decisions instead of the jury."

"I completely agree, Minister. Maybe some day your wish will come true." At this, Malfoy eyed Dumbledore slyly. Dumbledore knew one thing: with Lucius Malfoy at the head of this panel nothing would ever turn out fair. He could only hope that the jury would be more understanding for Sirius's sake.


End file.
